I Am Sammy Trusted Guide Read online

  A lot can happen in a dog’s day.

  Sammy the golden retriever has been training his whole life to be a guide dog. Now he’s been paired with his human partner, Jessie. If all goes well, they will become a team!

  But living in a new city with a new human is a big change. Sometimes Sammy misses his old family and his old home. Jessie has a lot of changes going on too. Can Sammy and Jessie find a way forward together?

  Albert Whitman & Co.

  More than 100 Years of Good Books

  www.albertwhitman.com

  Printed in the United States of America

  Jacket art copyright © 2020 by Albert Whitman & Company

  In memory of my loving and much-loved mom, Barbara Beadle, who collected and cherished stories and books—CS

  To my loving parents, Michele and Germana; thank you for guiding me on my journey.—FR

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file with the publisher.

  Text copyright © 2020 by Catherine Stier

  Illustrations copyright © 2020 by Albert Whitman & Company

  Illustrations by Francesca Rosa

  First published in the United States of America in 2020 by Albert Whitman & Company ISBN 978-0-8075-1672-0 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-0-8075-1675-1 (ebook)

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Printed in the United States of America

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 LB 24 23 22 21 20

  Design by Rick DeMonico

  For more information about Albert Whitman & Company, visit our website at www.albertwhitman.com.

  Contents

  1.Car Trouble

  2.Working and Waiting

  3.Practice Makes Perfect

  4.A Strange Smell

  5.A Dog’s Decision

  6.Passing the Test

  7.Unexpected Stop

  8.Finally Home

  9.A Brave Moment

  10.A Very Special Day

  About Guide Dogs

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Car Trouble

  One thing I’ve learned about Chicago—it is one lively city! Crowds hurry by, lights flash, horns honk. And the smells! Some can be hard for a dog like me to resist.

  Like right now, I’m walking with Jessie past a food stand. The yummy scent of bacon and sausage almost stops me in my tracks!

  Oh pup, that smells good! I think.

  Still, I have a job to do. If I let myself get distracted by those delicious breakfast smells even for a moment, there could be trouble.

  We come to a street curb, and I sit. That’s how I let Jessie know about the curb, so she doesn’t stumble. With a backward movement of her foot, Jessie tells me that she gets my message: Warning! Curb ahead!

  Jessie and I are a team. She’s my person, and I’m her guide dog. Jessie is a freshman—a first-year student—at a university. She’s blind, which means she can’t see the way some other people can. When we walk together, Jessie holds a handle attached to my harness with her left hand. I help her stay safe as she moves from place to place.

  As we turn a corner, a frisky puppy bounds down the sidewalk toward us. He pulls on his leash and gives a little yap. This pup wants to play—I can see that.

  Still, I stay on course and walk right past him.

  Not now, little one, I think. I’m doing important work.

  But that spunky little guy reminds me of my own puppy days.

  I was just a pup cuddled up with my mama and my littermates when I heard the first hints about my future.

  “I wonder which of you has what it takes to become a guide dog,” a trainer said when she came to check on us.

  I didn’t pay much attention to her words. Back then, I only thought about snuggling, sleeping, eating, and playing. My littermates and I were golden retrievers like our mama, with fuzzy golden fur and floppy ears. Our names all started with the same sound too. There were my siblings, Sherlock, Stetson, Sally, and Sierra, and me, Sammy. It could be confusing at times!

  When we grew a little older, the trainers planned fun things for us. We played in a little ball pit and slid down tiny slides. We met other dogs and our first cat, bunny, and even a friendly baby goat. We were coaxed to walk up a ramp or through a little tunnel—and got lots of praise when we did.

  I guess they wanted us to be ready for anything and everything!

  I hope I am.

  Today, as Jessie and I walk along on this bright fall morning, I spot a hazard ahead.

  Uh-oh.

  There’s a motor scooter parked on the sidewalk blocking our way. Quickly, I veer left, steering around it. Through the handle she holds, Jessie can feel my movement. She knows to move left too.

  I’m glad Jessie trusts me enough to follow my lead.

  Truth is, the two of us are still getting to know each other. We haven’t been a team for very long.

  When I first met Jessie, she used a long cane to help her get around. She’d never had a guide dog, and I was new to my job. We have been working now with a trainer, Elena, to help us understand each other.

  “Leaving the cane at home and putting faith in your dog isn’t easy at first,” Elena said when she introduced us.

  And not every dog is cut out for this job. I’m proud to be a guide dog, but I worry too. After all my training and testing, I really want to get this right.

  As we near the university campus, I startle a bit at the sound of flapping wings. I watch a pigeon land not far away. Some dogs might give chase to that city bird. But I only allow myself a quick glance while we cruise by.

  When I turn my head forward again, though, I tense up. There’s a careless driver speeding down the road. I see the car’s front wheels begin to swerve into the parking garage entrance right in front of us! I step back and stop. Jessie can’t see the car. She doesn’t know why I’ve stopped, so she urges me on.

  “Forward,” she says.

  But I ignore the command.

  “Forward,” she says again.

  I don’t move.

  This is the trickiest part of my job. I’ve been trained to keep Jessie safe by doing the things she says—unless following the command will lead to danger.

  Elena, the trainer, calls this intelligent disobedience. “It takes a really smart and confident dog to know when to follow a command and when to ignore it,” she explained once.

  At the sound of squealing tires turning right in front of us, Jessie gasps and steps back. She knows now why I stopped. She knows, too, what could have happened if we had moved forward. I can hear Jessie’s shaky breath. Then she leans close.

  “Good dog, Sammy. Smart dog! That was a close call!” She scratches my right shoulder. Already Jessie knows that’s my favoritest place in the world for a scratch!

  I’m glad Jessie is happy with me. What just happened, though, is another reminder—I always have to focus on the job.

  After all, Jessie is counting on me.

  Chapter 2

  Working and Waiting

  When we finally reach the university, there are even more sights, sounds, and smells. Students have set up colorful tables with bright banners. They call out to other students passing by.

  “Buy a sweet cupcake to support the Honor Society!”

  “Register to vote!”

  “Join the Women in Science Club!”

  “Sign up to study overseas!”

  I hear a clattering noise close by.

  Uh-oh. What’s that?

  But it’s only a guy glidi
ng by on a skateboard.

  “Isn’t it exciting to be on campus, Sammy?” Jessie says happily. “There’s so much going on!”

  As we near a familiar building, Jessie says, “Find the door,” and I go to the entrance. Inside, we head for a classroom where a group of students are talking. Some greet Jessie as I lead her to a seat.

  Soon, a man carrying a brown case walks in. “Good morning, professor,” one of the students says. I settle near Jessie’s feet as the professor begins to speak. Jessie records what he says on her phone and takes notes with a special device.

  From my spot on the floor, I can smell a yummy peanut-butter sandwich stuffed inside a nearby backpack. Up ahead, I spot a crumpled chip bag I wouldn’t mind sniffing. The professor is in front of the class, pointing to a chart with a stick.

  That scrawny stick isn’t as good as a tree branch, but I could still play fetch with it, I think.

  But I’m at work, and I’m in a classroom, so I resist these temptations. After all, I learned how to behave in class a while ago, with my other human family, the Robinsons.

  I met the Robinsons when I was just eight weeks old. “Sammy, your volunteer puppy raisers are here!” a trainer at the guide dog facility had said one morning.

  And there, in the next room, were the Robinsons—Dad, a little boy named Marcus, and a taller boy, Jayden. I was so excited! I greeted my new puppy raisers with a wagging tail and kisses. Then they took me on a long car ride and brought me to live in their house.

  The Robinsons were the ones who taught me my first simple commands. I learned sit, stand, and down.

  And we did fun things together! It took me a while to get used to the idea of wearing a guide-dog-in-training vest. But when I did, I was allowed to go inside places other dogs couldn’t, like the library, the yogurt shop, and even the grocery store.

  One summer’s day, we went someplace extra-special.

  “It will be a good experience for Sammy to come to the celebration,” Dad said. “He should get used to crowds.”

  We walked to something called a carnival. I’d never seen so many people in one place! Some carried around giant stuffed animals, while others held apples on a stick. Jayden munched on a pink cloud he called cotton candy.

  “Dad, can we ride the Ferris wheel?” I heard Marcus ask. Then I stayed with Dad as Marcus and Jayden went up, up, up on some big, creaking machine.

  Hey, you two, where are you going? Is that safe? I thought. Get back down here with me!

  That night, we all sat on a blanket in a grassy spot near the carnival. Suddenly, bright lights exploded in the sky! Loud bangs filled the air too. I jumped to my feet and howled and barked and pulled on my leash.

  That sounds like danger! I thought. I must protect my family!

  But Marcus patted me and spoke soft words. “It’s okay, Sammy. Those noises used to scare me too! But it’s just part of the celebration.”

  Humans have a strange way of celebrating! I thought. But once I knew everything was okay, I stayed calm for the rest of the show.

  “We can note in Sammy’s monthly training report that he’s comfortable with crowds. He does pretty well with Fourth of July fireworks too,” Dad said when the lights and banging stopped. “That’s a good sign.”

  The tall boy, Jayden, was the one who brought me to my first classroom. I went with him to his high school. I wore my vest, but everyone was so excited, Jayden had to remind them not to pet me, since I was training.

  I remember that in one classroom, there were funny smells as the big kids mixed liquids from skinny glass tubes. In another, the scents of paint and clay filled the room—and all the students drew pictures of me!

  I wasn’t working with Jayden as a guide dog, but going to his school did teach me how to act around lots of people. The most important thing I learned was how to wait to do certain things. During class breaks, Jayden would bring me to the same outdoor spot. “Okay, Sammy, do your business,” he’d say. And so I would.

  Sometimes, I went with Jayden after school to the gym for something he called “basketball practice.” Practice looked more like playtime to me! Everyone ran and jumped and scampered about—just like I do during my playtime!

  But my own playtime always came later, when we got home. Jayden would pull off my vest, and we would play catch in the backyard. Jayden would toss a toy into the air, and I’d jump up and grab it again and again until we were both dog-tired.

  As the professor in Jessie’s class continues to talk and point with that stick, these happy memories of the Robinsons make me sigh.

  If I show that I am a good guide dog, my new life will be with Jessie. I love Jessie. We’re a team, after all, and I want to do my absolute best for her. But so far, getting used to working with Jessie and living in this new place has been challenging, with lots of new things to learn.

  I admit that sometimes I think back to those games of catch with Jayden or snuggles and quiet talks with Marcus. Along with really wanting to prove myself in my new career, I guess I’m missing the Robinsons a bit too.

  Chapter 3

  Practice Makes Perfect

  “You must be excited!” Elena the trainer says when she meets us after class. “Tonight’s the big night!”

  I look up at Jessie and tilt my head. What’s happening tonight? I wonder.

  “Yes, I’m very excited about the concert,” says Jessie. “This will be my first ever solo. Thank you for meeting me here at the theater.”

  “Of course! A solo with the university’s top choir is a huge honor.”

  “Thanks,” Jessie says. “I’m so glad I joined the Pop Notes.”

  The Pop Notes? I think. I know about them.

  The first time Jessie told me we were going to a Pop Notes practice, I expected it to be like Jayden’s basketball practice. Instead, we walked into a small classroom.

  Where are all the bouncing balls? And the people running around? I wondered. All I saw that afternoon was a group of students singing.

  I wasn’t disappointed for long though. After a while, I liked what I heard! I may not know much about human music, but the sound of those students’ voices blending together made my tail thump!

  And tonight is the Pop Notes concert.

  Oh pup, I’ve never been to a concert before—whatever that is!

  “How can we help you get ready for tonight’s performance?” Elena asks Jessie.

  “The Pop Notes director wants us to do something special,” Jessie says. “Once the audience is seated, we’ll start the show. We’ll walk from the back of the theater down the side aisles, singing as we climb the stairs to the stage.”

  “That sounds lovely,” says Elena.

  “Yes, but we’ve only practiced in the choir room because the theater is always being used for other student events,” Jessie explains. “I’m allowed in for a few minutes now with you and Sammy to check things out.”

  “Let’s go inside then,” Elena says.

  When we step into the theater, I see it’s a really big place with a high ceiling, like Jayden’s school gym. But it’s very different! There’s a large wooden floor up front, but it’s not like the basketball court. It’s raised, with thick curtains on each side. There are lots of chairs in this place. Each looks as cushy as a doggy bed, and much more comfy than the gym’s metal bleachers.

  “Let’s practice getting you on that stage,” Elena says to Jessie.

  Jessie takes a deep breath.

  “Just remember what we’ve talked about, Jessie,” Elena says with a kind voice. “Trust your dog.”

  “Okay. Here goes,” Jessie says.

  From the back of the theater, Jessie and I walk down the aisle. When we reach the front, I put my paws on the bottom stair. Through the handle, Jessie feels me step up. This lets her know that we’ve reached a staircase. Jessie pats me on the head and puts one hand on the rail. Up we go till we reach the big wooden stage.

  We’ve got this! I think.

  Then comes the tricky part.
Jessie moves, with me at her side, to a little mat in front of a microphone. The mat marks the center of the stage, and Jessie can feel the different material through her shoes. Once Jessie finds the mat, we stand there a moment, facing row after row of seats.

  “Perfect!” Elena says.

  Still, we practice this a few more times. I understand why. Whatever is going to happen at that concert tonight, I can tell it is a big deal for Jessie. She doesn’t want anything to go wrong.

  “Do you feel confident about getting to the stage now?” Elena asks after our last run-through.

  “I do,” Jessie says. “But I know it will be different tonight when there’s an audience full of people watching me.”

  “You’ll do great,” Elena assures her. “And I’ll be one of those people in that audience, cheering you on!”

  I’ll be here for you, too, Jessie! I think. Don’t forget that!

  “I believe our work here is done,” Elena says cheerily. And then her voice turns more serious. “So, Jessie, after four weeks, this is our last day training together. How do you feel about that?”

  Jessie smiles. “You’ve been great, Elena, and I’ve learned so much! Sammy is wonderful too. Now I’m so excited about all my plans for the future. You know, pursuing my business degree. Starting my career someday. Traveling. Continuing with my singing too.”

  “I’m glad to hear it,” says Elena.

  “But I do have one question,” Jessie says, and pauses. “Do you think Sammy and I are ready to be on our own?”

  I see Elena smile. “I’ve watched as you two have bonded over time. You and Sammy work together safely and effectively as a team,” she says. “And if I have one last bit of advice, it’s what I’ve told you before.”

  “I know,” says Jessie. “Trust my dog.”

  “That’s right,” Elena says. “Trust your dog. Trust Sammy.”